A new rise in healthcare jobs is good news for executives in senior care, an expert said Friday.
The latest job report from the U.S. Department of Labor says the healthcare industry added 19,000 jobs in April. While physician offices, outpatient clinics and home healthcare organizations have continued to add jobs at a steady rate since last year, the employment numbers in nursing facilities have fluctuated more.
However, the good news is that those who are searching for healthcare leaders, such as Witt/Kieffer senior vice president Elaina Genser, say that while there’s been an explosive growth in the search for chief medical officers and executive physicians, there’s also been a 43% growth in the senior care practice. That includes searches for skilled nursing facilities, assisted living, home health and hospice.
Organizations are looking for “new leaders for a new era,” and also are creating new positions such as “vice president of strategic and business development,” Genser told McKnight’s on Friday. Searches often can expand to those in acute care or community-based settings as groups look for those who can balance the mission with the margin.
“You really need people who have a strategic vision, who are able to mentor,” she said. “You need to be a spokesperson for your facility, you need to be able to find other revenue sources, and be a great communicator.”
